Trucido
by Bohemian Storm
Summary: *Chapter 2 Added* Six years earlier, Snape asked four students to forget a curse that slaughtered numerous people. Someone didn't and now it's out. *Sequel to The Five*
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the HP characters or situations. I do, however, own Kendra Rayne and the creation of The Five. (I own something!)  
  
Notes: This is a sequel to my fic 'The Five'. If you haven't read that fic this one isn't going to make much sense.  
  
Trucido  
Prologue  
(Set six years after 'The Five')  
Hermione Granger reached for the tie that held back her frizzy hair and pulled it briskly, releasing the curls that had longed to escape all day. She rubbed the bridge of her nose with her forefinger and thumb as the other hand searched through the cupboards in the rented house she shared with the rest of her research team. She was starving; she'd been on the dragon site all day checking out the improvements made by the Ministry grant Charlie Weasley had received earlier that year. Data entry and research methods had definitely not been Hermione's first choice of occupation, but after her brief stint at the Ministry of Magic she had discovered her inability to handle being caged up all day. She'd sat in a desk for seven long years and had worked hard for the qualifications she had. She wasn't going to waste them by sitting in a cubicle.  
  
With another pinch at the bridge of her nose, Hermione reached for a box of cereal, hoping that her cooking abilities spanned as far as it might take to make even a sorry excuse for a meal. She was just reaching for a bowl when a large tawny owl appeared on the window sill, hooting happily and hopping back and forth. It hooted again when she made no move toward it, then hopped toward her and gently pecked at her hand.   
  
Hermione started, then reached for the letter tied to it's leg, wondering who would be sending her a letter by owl post. Her parents were hopeless with the owl post and her friends all lived in Romania in the same house as she did. Harry and Ron had slowly faded out of her life and she hadn't had a letter from them in more than three years.   
  
She hated it, it hurt her, but she knew they were busy with their new lives. Ron had met some girl a few years ago and, the last Hermione heard, he was living with her just outside of Hogsmeade. He had been working at the Three Broomsticks part time, still trying to pay his way through school in order to become an Auror. Hermione didn't know what his girlfriend did and she had never really cared to find out. It wasn't that she was jealous, of course . . . she just thought Ron could do better.  
  
Harry was working as an Auror, frantically busy once more as killings had begun in Europe and then the Americas. Hermione sometimes wondered if she should return home to help, but her home was in Romania now. She was sure Harry and the others would be able to handle whatever was thrown their way, especially after the defeat of Voldemort. Kendra Rayne had been working as an Auror as well the last time Hermione talked to her. She had been living with Oliver Wood and Harry in an apartment just north of Devon. Hermione could see no reason for any of them to be writing her, but she turned the letter over in her hands.  
  
Sealing the thin envelope was a thick drop of red wax. As the wax had dried someone had pressed the Hogwarts crest into it and she frowned slightly at this. Why would anyone from Hogwarts to be writing to her after so many years? The soft frown still marring her face, Hermione slide her finger under the wax seal and broke it, then pulled out the short letter that was inside. Her eyes scanned the four lines once, then went back to the top and read over them once more.   
  
Without thinking, Hermione left the letter on the kitchen counter and walked quickly down the hall to the her bedroom. She opened the closet and yanked out a large suitcase, then went to work stuffing shirts and trousers inside.   
  
"Charlie!" she yelled as her toothbrush and hairbrush were added to the pile inside the suitcase.  
  
Footsteps were heard coming from down the hall and a moment later Charlie entered the room. "Yeah?" he asked.  
  
"You'll have to get Anna to finish my research," Hermione told him, closing the suitcase and pulling it off the bed.   
  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"I have to go back to Hogwarts."  
  
Charlie frowned. "Now?"  
  
Hermione nodded. "Right now," she said, then Apparated from the room.  
* * * *  
Ron Weasley hated his life. It was simple, to the point and direct. Unfortunately, if he said it too often Rosmerta ended up throwing him out of The Three Broomsticks after his shift was over. Not only did he hate his life, his girlfriend Erin hated his life and she made a regular point of telling him how much she hated it. So on top of hating his life, he had become strangely accustomed to hating his girlfriend just as much.  
  
He blinked a few times, stared around the bar, then hiccuped. Rosmerta made a clucking sound in her throat and Ron turned to stare blearily at her before gesturing for another butterbeer. The bartender sighed, but handed him his drink regardless of what she thought. He gulped half of it quickly, then set it down on the bar and thumped his forehead down alongside it.  
  
"I hate my life," he moaned, wondering if this was the time Rosmerta would kick him out for saying the most dreaded phrase in his vocabulary. Maybe if he pretended to be very interested in the ground below him, or promised to do extra work the next day, she'd let him stay and drink the rest of his paycheck away.  
  
Rosmerta sighed again. "You know my advice, Ron. Don't make me say it again."  
  
He nodded, but didn't raise his head. He did know her advice and when he was sober, it was damned good advice.   
  
"Leave Erin, quit spending my money on alcohol, put myself through school," he recited with perfect clarity in spite of his already drunken state. "I know."  
  
"If you're not going to do something about it, stop whining," Rosmerta said, then glanced up as an owl fluttered down onto the windowsill. She grabbed the letter from it and tossed a pretzel in it's direction.  
  
"Mail for you," she said after studying it for a moment. She tossed it onto the bar beside Ron and moved away to tend to another customer.  
  
"Whazzit?" he asked, then raised his head when she didn't answer. "Fine," he grumbled, picking it up. "I'll just open my own mail."  
  
He opened the envelope without pausing to look at the seal, then withdrew the letter. Ron read it over quickly, then took another swig of his butterbeer and read it again, blinking as though he couldn't believe what he was reading.  
  
"Oh no," he whispered, staring at the letter. "Oh no, oh no, oh no."  
  
"What?" Rosmerta asked, coming back toward him. She reached for the letter, but he snatched it away quickly, nearly tumbling out of his chair in the process.  
  
"I have to go see Dumbledore," Ron said, standing unsteadily and holding onto his stool for support.  
  
"Ron, it's late," she protested, "and you're drunk."  
  
"It doesn't matter," he said quickly, pulling his arms into his jacket. "This is important."  
  
After one final sip of his drink Ron was out the door and running full speed toward Hogwarts.   
* * * *  
Kendra Rayne let her eyes wander over the hallway of her flat before she neared the bedroom door. She was tired, but that was nothing new to the young Auror. She just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for days, ignoring the news of everything that was going on around her. Violent murders had been occurring all over the continent, witches and wizards were disappearing for months and then turning up dead, bodies mutilated and slaughtered. It baffled the entire Ministry and even the Aurors couldn't explain what was happening.  
  
She finally pushed the door open and rolled her shoulders, then walked over to her bed and turned down the sheets. Oliver was snuggled under the covers with his face stuck in yet another Quidditch book from the team captain of the Wimbourne Wasps. He'd only been playing with them for a season and a half, but already the captain was bearing down on him. Oliver Wood would be one of the greats, he promised and Kendra had no doubts about that. She just wished that he'd remove himself from the game every so often.  
  
"Long day?" Oliver asked as she sunk into the bed.  
  
Kendra nodded. "Harry's absolutely beat," she murmured. "I think he fell into bed still dressed."  
  
Oliver cast another glance at the book, then reluctantly placed it on the beside table. "How're you?" he asked.  
  
"Tired, sore and angry," she answered. "You?"  
  
He gave her a small grin. "Hopelessly in love with the most beautiful Auror ever to exist."  
  
"Nice try," she said, trying to sound unconcerned and failing miserably.  
  
"Angry at what?" Oliver asked, putting his arm around her and pulling her close.  
  
"It doesn't matter," she murmured softly.  
  
"Yes, it does."  
  
Kendra sighed. "I just want to know where these killings are coming from. How is this person - or these persons - killing others so violently? It doesn't make sense." She sighed again. "I wish I could speak with Hermione, but she never writes back anymore."  
  
Oliver was about to say something when an owl's beak tapped at the window. He frowned and got up, letting the owl into the room. It fluttered toward Kendra and dropped a letter on her stomach before flying back out into the night.  
  
"What's that?" he asked.  
  
Kendra sat up in bed, then slit the Hogwarts seal. She pulled out the letter and read it over quickly, then glanced at Oliver in horror.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"I need Harry," she said suddenly.  
  
There was a knock at their door a second later and Kendra went to it, pulling it open. Harry was standing in the hallway with a letter clutched in his trembling hand.  
  
"You got one too," he said.  
  
Kendra nodded. "Do you suppose Ron and Hermione . . ."  
  
Harry sighed. "I'm betting on it."  
  
"Kendra, what's going on?" Oliver asked.  
  
She glanced at Harry who nodded, then turned to Oliver and read the letter aloud.  
  
"Dear Miss Rayne,  
  
I regret to inform you that a curse I ask you to forget six years ago has since been released to another person. Albus Dumbledore and myself request that you come to Hogwarts as soon as possible so that we may find out who did not forget the curse and who had the audacity to speak of it rather than come straight to us. I fear this is for the worst.  
  
Sincerely,  
Severus Snape."  
  
"A curse?" Oliver asked.  
  
Kendra nodded. "When we faced Voldemort six years ago Snape said a curse that caused a complete slaughter of the Death Eaters. He asked us to forget that he had ever uttered the word and we all thought we had. Slowly the events of the night came back to each of us, but the four of us vowed never to say anything. We swore it!"  
  
"Someone didn't keep their promise," Harry said softly, then gestured to Kendra. "Come on. Let's get dressed and we'll go by Floo to Diagon Alley. We can Apparate from there."  
  
"I don't want you going," Oliver said.  
  
Kendra smiled sadly. "I have to. This is our mess and we have to clean it up."  
  
"You didn't say anything, did you?" he asked.  
  
Kendra shook her head. "No, but I don't know who did. I'm still part of The Five, I can't leave them alone now."  
  
"Parvati died," Oliver said. "I don't want you to be next."  
  
Kendra walked toward him and pressed against his shoulders until he was sitting on the edge of the bed. She pressed a kiss against his forehead, then turned and began to dress. He watched silently as she moved about the room collecting her things.  
  
Harry appeared at the door a moment later and motioned to her. Kendra nodded, then went back to Oliver and kissed him again.  
  
"I'll be fine," she promised.  
  
"You'd better," he replied, then watched from the room as she and Harry went down the stairs together, talking quietly between themselves. Oliver knew he couldn't stop either of them, but he hoped that he'd be able to see them come back.  
End Prologue 


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes:** This chapter is dedicated to HPFanForLife since she seems to want this update so badly. :D  Enjoy!

Chapter One

            Severus Snape stood in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, his arms crossed over his chest and his robes falling around him in the way that had always given the students the impression he was about to catch them doing something wrong.  He could have been a statue; the only sign of life was the flickering of his eyes every time the heavy wooden doors opened to admit a student or staff member.  Curfew was drawing near and students were scurrying in from their outdoor activities or Quidditch practices and tonight was most certainly a night that they would not want to be late.  Snape wasn't having the best day and he wasn't afraid to take it out on innocent students.

            Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, had asked him to wait in the Great Hall to welcome the four students they had written letters to earlier that day.  Snape somehow doubted his greeting would be anything near the kind of welcome they would have received had Dumbledore been waiting for them, but he had reluctantly complied and stationed himself near the stairs.  If Dumbledore expected anything beyond his customary sneer and nod of the head for these kids he was sorely mistaken.  

            Fifteen minutes after curfew Snape was still left standing in the hall, glaring at any professors who spoke to him while he waited.  They had absolutely no business questioning him as to why he was standing alone in the hall; they hadn't been there six years ago when things had crumbled down around them.  They didn't know what was going to happen if action wasn't taken immediately.

            Hermione was the first to arrive, cautiously poking her head into the hall, then straightening self consciously and closing the door behind her when she saw Snape.  He would have allowed himself a flicker of a smile if the situation wasn't so serious.  Six years had gone by and he was still able to make the girl straighten her back just by looking at her the right way.  

            "Hello, professor," she said.

            Snape nodded curtly.  "Miss. Granger."

            "Has anyone else arrived yet?"

            Snape's dark eyes flickered over to her and then across the empty hall.  "Do you see anyone else here?"

            Hermione flushed slightly, then shook her head and looked down.  

            This time Snape actually did allow himself the slightest smile.  It was nice to know that even after they'd been gone for a few years he could still shut his former students up with an icy sentence.  

            "I Apparated from Romania," Hermione said after a moment's silence.

            "Did you now?" Snape asked.

            She nodded, smiling a little.  "I passed the test on the first try."

            "Was there ever any doubt, Miss. Granger?  You had your nose stuck in the study book for years before taking the test and probably practiced illegally with your friends many times," Snape said coldly.

            "Actually, professor, I didn't."  Hermione smiled proudly.  "Got it perfect on my first try."

            "How very interesting," Snape said dryly, trying to mask his surprise.  Very few people passed the test on their first try, let alone getting the Apparating part before their third try.  

            He was still wondering exactly how it was that Hermione Granger was so perfect at everything she tried when the door creaked open again.

            "Harry!  Kendra!" Hermione exclaimed, rushing forward and throwing an arm around the neck of each.  They were both covered in soot, no doubt they had traveled by Floo powder, but that didn't seem to bother Hermione as she hugged them.

            "I've missed you both so much!" she said excitedly, releasing them and staring at them both.

            Harry smiled.  "It's really great to see you, Hermione."

            "I've missed you," Kendra said, squeezing the other girl's hand before letting it drop.  Her dark eyes flickered to the Potion's Master and they widened in surprise.

            "Miss. Rayne," Snape said, inclining his head.  "Mr. Potter."

            "Professor," Kendra said, smiling.  "It's good to see you."

            "No doubt," he said shortly.

            "Has Ron arrived yet?" Harry asked, turning to look at Snape.

            Snape closed his eyes briefly, and then sighed.  "Does it look like he's here, Mr. Potter?"

            "No . . . sorry."

            "If I know Ron he's probably drunk," Hermione said a hint of disdain in her voice.  "Ever since he met that girl . . . what was her name?"

            "Erin," Kendra supplied.  "Her name is Erin."

            "Right . . . Erin.  Well, ever since he met Erin that's all he's done," Hermione said.  "He spends all his time working or drinking."

            "Well, that's Ron for you," Harry said.

            Hermione frowned.  "It wasn't the Ron we knew six years ago."

            A tense silence fell over them and the door creaked open slowly, a red head peering around the corner.

            "Nice of you to finally join us, Mr. Weasley," Snape said.  "Your friends were just busy fighting over who was responsible for your apparent drinking problem.  Miss. Granger here thinks it's your girlfriend . . . Erin, is it?"

            Hermione flushed a deep red before turning away and walking in the direction of Dumbledore's office.

            "Thank you," Kendra snapped at Snape.  "Isn't this just what we need?  More fighting.  Your timing, professor Snape, is just wonderful."  She turned and hurried after Hermione, leaving Harry, Ron and Snape to stare after her in shock.

            Snape blinked.  Had Kendra Rayne really just told him off?

            Maybe they had changed more than he'd imagined.

*  *  *  *

            "Professor Snape received this last night," Dumbledore said, handing a scrap of parchment to Hermione before steepling his fingers beneath his chin and studying his former students carefully. 

            They had come up to his office only minutes earlier and after their hellos were finished Dumbledore had become very grave.  They knew it had to be serious when his blue eyes fell flat and his hand trembled as he handed the parchment across the table.  He hadn't even offered anyone a lemon drop from the bowl on his desk, merely stared at them as they took in the words scribbled hastily on the parchment.

            "Snape,

            I can't send this to Harry or Dumbledore, it's too risky.  I met a woman yesterday in New York, she used a curse to slaughter people.  Trucido.  I need to know what this means.  I'll be at Hogwarts as soon as travel is safe for me.

            Sirius Black."

            "Sirius!" Harry exclaimed when he saw the name at the bottom.

            "Sirius Black?" Kendra asked, her eyes wide.

            Harry glanced at her quickly.  "You don't know what really happened . . . he . . . you have to trust me, Kendra.  Sirius didn't kill anyone.  Even Snape knows the truth now."

            Kendra nodded slowly.  "You'd better explain it to me later, Harry."

            "I will," he promised, then glanced at Snape.  "Sirius wrote to you." 

            Snape nodded slowly.  "Yes, your _godfather felt it necessary to send this letter to me, Merlin only knows why."_

            Kendra glanced up at him.  "He said right in the letter that it was too dangerous to send it to Harry or Dumbledore.  This woman he met might know that he's Harry Potter's godfather and if she's as dangerous as he said . . ." she trailed off, looking thoughtful.

            "What was the curse?" Hermione whispered.  "It's the one we heard that night, isn't it?"

            "You were supposed to forget it," Snape said sharply.  

            "We did," Kendra cut in.  "Until a couple years ago.  Everything started coming back to us."

            "What do you mean by everything?" Snape asked.

            "Everything," she said softly.  "Things we really didn't want to remember."

            "Like what?" he pushed.

            Harry glared at him.  "Unlike some people here Kendra has a heart.  A big one.  And seeing you beaten and bruised was more than she could handle."

            Snape fell silent, glaring back at Harry.

            "We needn't fight over this," Dumbledore said, raising his hands slightly.  "We need to be calm and we need to think this over."

            "Wouldn't it help if Harry's godfather was here?" Kendra asked.  "He'd be able to give us a description of the woman."

            "That's why I came," a hoarse voice said from the door of Dumbledore's office and they all turned to see Sirius Black leaning casually against the frame.

            "Come in, Sirius," Dumbledore said, motioning to him.  "Have a seat."

            Kendra took in Harry's godfather and cast a grin in Hermione's direction, who smirked in turn.  His hair was shorter than it had been since Harry had last seen him and his face was fuller, less gaunt and haunted.  There were still dark circles beneath his tired eyes, but his health had improved greatly.

            His eyes flickered over the group, a soft smile on his face when he stopped on Harry, then pausing for a long moment on Kendra.  

            "I'm Sirius Black," he said after a moment.  "Kendra Rayne?"

            She nodded.  "That's me."

            "You're the crazy girl who risked her life to safe the overgrown bat?" he asked, laughter in his eyes.

            Kendra bit her lip and smiled slightly.  "That would be me."

            "Well, I guess someone had to," Sirius continued.  "But don't expect the favour to ever be returned."

            Kendra glanced up in surprise, then turned her eyes to Snape.  She smiled and looked back at Sirius before saying, "You'd be surprised what he did for us."

            "Sirius," Dumbledore said, interrupting the conversation.  "We need whatever information you can give us about this woman."

            "Yes," Snape said dryly.  "We need to find out which of these four explained the curse to someone."  His black eyes swept over the group angrily and it took all of Kendra's will power not to cringe.

            "Like the letter said I met up with her in New York.  She was outside walking, just . . . walking and she came right up to me and asked if I was really Sirius Black.  That really scared me.  I thought I was caught for sure.  But when I didn't answer she just smiled and told me to watch what she did.  I think . . ." Sirius trailed off and sighed deeply.  "I think she was trying to pin it on me.  I've done it once in the eyes of the Wizarding world, right?  So why wouldn't I do it again?"

            "That wouldn't have worked," Hermione said.  "Once you were in Azkaban again the killings would have continued."

            "And they would have thought I had an accomplice," Sirius explained.  "I don't know why she would want to send me back but she did.  I could just tell she wanted me gone."

            "Did she tell you her name?" Harry asked.

            Sirius shook his head.  

            "What did she look like?" Dumbledore asked.

            "She was dressed like a Muggle, but so was I.  Her hair was blonde and very long."

            "How long?" Ron asked, his eyes suddenly wide.

            "Past her waist," Sirius said.  "Maybe almost to her knees.  It was very distinctive.  Her eyes were dark though, which I thought was strange.  They were black."

            "Most qualified witches and wizards can perform simple glamour spells, Black," Snape said.  "How can you be sure she didn't alter her appearance so that you would remember her very clearly and have your information be completely incorrect?"

            "It's not," Ron moaned into his hands and the entire room turned to look at him.

            "What are you talking about, Ron?" Hermione asked.

            "I met a girl in the Three Broomsticks last year," he said.  "I was already drunk but she was just so beautiful."  He shook his head, looking horrified.  "Her name was Calli and her hair was red when I knew her but it has to be the same girl.  She's the only person I ever told about the curse."

            "You," Snape growled.  "I should have known it was you.  An incompetent Weasley . . . an incompetent _drunk_ Weasley.  Like you needed alcohol to make you any more stupid."

            "Did anyone else say anything about the Trucido curse?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes sweeping over the rest of the group.

            One by one they all shook their heads, leaving Dumbledore's disappointed eyes on Ron's terrified face.

            "You've made a terrible mistake, Ron," Dumbledore said.

            "I know," he whispered.

            "This woman you shared the information with has already killed countless innocent people."

            Ron's face paled, but he nodded.  "I know."

            "This is your mess," Dumbledore continued.  "I call all four of you here to find out who let out this horrible secret and to tell them that they need to fix this.  Alone, if they must."

            "I . . ." Ron trailed off, looking sick to his stomach.  "By myself?"

            Dumbledore nodded slowly.  "If the others feel they would rather return home then the answer is yes, Ron.  By yourself."  He turned to the other three sitting before him and regarded them carefully.  "The question now is would you three rather return home?"

            Harry shook his head.  "No.  I'm staying to help Ron.  I'm an Auror.  What kind of Auror would I be if I turned around and went home?"

            "I'm staying too," Kendra said quietly.  

            Hermione nodded.  "So am I."

            "If these three are willing to stay and help then I am too," Sirius said slowly.  "I can't let these kids take all the responsibility."

            "I assure you, Black, they are quite capable," Snape said.

            "I know they are, Snape," he replied.  "I heard what happened in their seventh year.  I heard all about it."

            "I'm simply saying you shouldn't take their abilities for granted."

            "I'm not," Sirius said shortly.  "I'm just offering my help as well."  His eyes turned to Kendra and he grinned.  "You want my help, don't you?"

            "Sirius," Harry groaned.

            "What?"

            "Don't flirt with my friends.  She's too young for you . . . and she has a boyfriend."

            Sirius smirked and nodded.  "Not another word from me."

            Snape growled deeply in his throat.  "You'll never change, will you, Black?"

            Sirius's grin grew.  "Not if I can help it."

            "It's late," Dumbledore said, interrupting the possible fight.  "If you'll follow Severus he can show you the rooms you'll be staying in.  Sirius, you have a room just down the hall from the others.  Kendra and Hermione can share the first room, and Harry and Ron can share the second.  If you're hungry just let me know and I can arrange for the house elves to have something prepared and brought to your rooms."

            Hermione frowned at the mention of the house elves, but said nothing.

            "Harry and I haven't had the chance to eat," Kendra said.  "If it's not too much trouble-"

            "None at all," Dumbledore said.  "I'll have something sent to each of you.  Anyone else?"

            No one replied, so Dumbledore ushered them from his office and they descended down the stairs to the hall that led toward their rooms.

            "This way," Snape said, then walked briskly down the hall.

            They followed in silence, Ron staring at the floor and wringing his hands.

            They went into their separate rooms and the castle was silent once more.  Each of the remaining four went to sleep fearing how much longer the silence would last before it was torn apart by screams and cries for help.

End Chapter One


	3. Chapter 2

Notes:  I realized after rereading The Five that Kendra mentioned to Hermione that she knew most of the story behind Sirius Black and the entire plot of PoA.  That's my mistake, but I really didn't feel like going back and changing it.  My apologies. 

Chapter Two

            It was strange being back at Hogwarts after so long.  The children looked so much smaller than Harry remembered his peers being, but they treated him exactly the same.  If they weren't rambling endlessly about all the wonderful things they'd been told about Harry Potter, they were creeping past him with a look of absolute awe on their young faces.  

            With a smile, Harry watched as a second year boy peered at Hermione from around his book.  One major benefit to being one of five students who had defeated Voldemort was that he was no longer alone in the reverence and awe.  It would have been almost impossible to deal with by himself, but with four other students to admire it became easier.

            There was a scroll dedicated to Parvati Patil in the entrance hall.  He hadn't been back in so long that he hadn't even known about it.  Kendra had explained it to him as they walked by it the next day, pointing out their names mixed into the story of The Five.  

            "We don't compare," he had whispered.  "I mean, we were brave and all, but Parvati . . ." he had trailed off and Kendra patted his hand knowingly.

            "You don't even need to say it," she had whispered back, then grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the warm sunlight.

            It was times like those when Harry really realized what Parvati had done for the world.  She had given up the warm sunlight so that everyone else wouldn't have to.  He couldn't help but admire that, more deeply and more profoundly than he'd ever admired anyone.

            Even now, as they ate breakfast in the Great Hall, surrounded by the current Gryffindor students, he could feel the eyes on them.  Whispers ran up and down the tables, theories spreading about why they were all back at Hogwarts at the same time as the war against the unnamed enemy and mysterious curse was heating up.

            "You're Harry Potter, aren't you?" a girl beside him asked.

            Harry nodded.  "Yes."

            "We've read all about you in Defense against the Dark Arts.  All of The Five, in fact," she informed him.

            "Really?"  He was genuinely surprised at this information.  He had never imagined that The Five would earn a place in that class.

            She cocked her head to one side, seeming to choose her words carefully.  "It's not an actual lesson, you see," she said, trying to explain.  "Professor Lupin knows that we can't all adopt powers like that and let light run through us to defeat our enemies, but-"

            "Did you say Lupin?" Harry asked, interrupting the girl.

            She blinked, then nodded.  "Yes.  He's taught here for the past two years.  He's a wonderful professor; the best we've ever had."

            Harry grinned, then nodded.  "I know.  He was my Defense against the Dark Arts professor when I was in third year."

            The girl's face lit up.  Obviously she enjoyed talking about her favourite professor.  "He's fantastic, really," she gushed.  "He's so intelligent and no one cares anymore than he's a werewolf.  Everyone knows that werewolves don't hurt people if they're locked up safely during their change."  She rolled her eyes to stress how little she cared about Remus Lupin's infliction.  "Learning about The Five was definitely my favourite part of class last year," she said.  "Professor Lupin has done some extensive research on how The Five are picked and how their powers are distributed.  He's especially interested in learning how the seer is the most important and most powerful member of the group."

            "Wow," Harry said, genuinely impressed.  "Lupin has done a lot of work on this, hasn't he?"

            "I think it's because you were one of The Five," the girl stated, very matter of factly.  "Everyone knows now that he was close to your parents and I think he finds anything dealing with you interesting."

            "I seriously doubt that," Harry said, smiling a little anyway.  "Professor Lupin has always shown great interest in his work."

            The girl laughed.  "It definitely shows."

            As they discussed Remus Lupin and ate breakfast the crowd in the hall began to thin.  The girl stood up in a rush a moment later.

            "I'm going to be late for class.  It was really nice to meet you," she said.  "I'm Charlize Grey, by the way."

            "Nice to meet you," Harry said, shaking her hand quickly.

            "Making friends?" Kendra asked, grinning at him from across the table.

            Harry just shrugged and returned to the meal set out before him that he had ignored up until that point.

            "Honestly!" Hermione burst out suddenly, whipping her head toward the second year boy who was staring at her openly now.  "What is so fascinating about me that prevents you from finishing your breakfast?"

            The boy gaped at her for a moment, then blushed furiously and scrambled to begin eating.

            Hermione sighed deeply, then turned back toward Harry and Kendra.  "Should I not have yelled?"

            Kendra snickered, then cleared her throat as she tried to hide her laughter.

            Hermione pursed her lips.  "It's really not amusing."

            Harry's mouth twitched, but he nodded very seriously.  "Not at all amusing, Hermione.  Honestly, the poor boy had it coming."

            She shrunk down into her seat and began eating quickly.  Every so often she'd mumble something around her toast about constantly being stared at and Harry smiled sympathetically.

            "Now you know what all seven years at Hogwarts were like for me," he said.

            Hermione opened her mouth to respond with something snappy and sarcastic, but apparently thought better of it.  

            "Sorry," she finally said.

            "Hey," Harry said, looking at her.  "It's nothing to be sorry to me about.  I know what you're feeling like, trust me."

            Hermione smiled halfheartedly.  "I just never wanted to be back here under terms like this.  It's . . . it's not good that we're here.  It only results in bad things happening to people, Harry.  It's getting to me already."

            "Where's Ron?" Kendra asked, trying to take Hermione's attention away from exactly why they were at Hogwarts again.

            Harry shrugged.  "He said he wasn't hungry when I tried to wake him for breakfast.  I think he's just feeling guilty."

            "Good," Hermione said, looking smug.  "He should feel guilty."

            Kendra glanced at her.  "I don't know if we should . . . y'know, rub it in.  It must be hard enough on him as it is."

            Hermione shrugged.  "He should have known better.  Getting drunk and spilling a secret like that to some girl just because she's blonde and beautiful."  She laughed dryly.  "I suppose we should have know.  He's always been stupid like that about girls.  Remember Fleur?"

            Harry nodded.  How could he not remember Fleur?  She was definitely the cause of much heartache on Ron's part for the majority of their fourth year and when he wasn't pining away after the unavailable, aloof Veela, he had been convinced that Viktor Krum was going to whisk Hermione off to a better life.  Forget the fact that she was only fourteen.

            "Look, we all need to work together during this time," Kendra said in a low voice.  "It isn't going to help things if you try to make Ron feel more guilty than he already does."

            Hermione pursed her lips angrily.  "That's just like you, Kendra.  You've always taken Ron's side over mine."

            Kendra leaned back in exasperation.  "How old are you, Hermione?  Twelve?  We're adults now.  Maybe we should all try acting like them."

            "Why act like an adult when acting like a child is so much more fun?" a cheerful voice said.

            Sirius Black settled happily on Harry's other side and studied the plates before them.

            "What's on the menu?" he asked.

            Harry pushed his half eaten plate toward his godfather, then glanced at Kendra.  She was sneaking glances between Hermione and Sirius, apparently trying to decide whom to give her attention to.  The potential for an argument didn't seem to be as interesting as finding out more about the accused murderer sitting at their breakfast table, as Kendra turned to the left to see Sirius better.

            "Harry hasn't told me anything," she said.

            Sirius blinked, then glanced at her.  "Anything about what, exactly?"

            "About you," she said.

            "You're very forthright, aren't you?"

            Kendra nodded.

            Sirius grinned and Harry had to resist the urge to groan.

            "So, what do you want to know, sweetheart?"

            That was it.  Harry had to groan.  "I told you not to flirt with her!" he said.

            Sirius put up both hands defensively and grinned.  "Sorry.  I forget sometimes.  Y'know, the head trauma."

            Harry looked bewildered.  "What head trauma?"

            Sirius just grinned again and looked at Kendra.  "You must think that I'm a murderer.  I'm not.  What actually happened is a long and extremely complex story of lies, betrayal and deceit.  It can only be told properly by the light of the full moon with a bottle of expensive Muggle wine and romantic music."

            Remus Lupin put his hands on his hips from where he was now standing behind Sirius.  "Well, that's not how you told the entire story to me.  If I recall correctly we were cold, terrified and angry."

            "Lupin!" Harry cried, standing up.

            "Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked.

            Kendra grinned.  "Oh, Merlin, you're teaching here again?"

            Lupin nodded.  "This is my second year back."

            "Ladies and gentlemen!" Sirius announced loudly.  "May I introduce you to the only Defense against the Dark Arts teacher to ever last more than a year!"  He began to applaud wildly as the remaining students stared at him on their way out of the Great Hall.

            From the Head Table, Dumbledore clapped politely, then returned to his meal.

            Kendra looked at Harry, who simply shook his head and mouthed, 'crazy' to her.

            "Be nice, Harry," Lupin scolded jokingly.  "Your godfather isn't completely crazy."

            Sirius arched an eyebrow.  "Says who?"

            Hermione just shook her head and went back to her breakfast.

            "To make a long story short, Kendra, Peter Pettigrew was the actual murderer," Lupin tried to explain.

            Kendra looked at him blankly.  "They said all they found of Pettigrew was a finger."

            "Well, trust me," Lupin said.  "He's not dead.  He was James and Lily's Secret Keeper, he gave them away to Voldemort and when Sirius went after him, he murdered all those Muggles, cut off his own finger, left Sirius to take the blame and lived for twelve years as a rat."

            Kendra blinked, then looked at Harry who was nodding.

            "It's true," he said.

            "So he just let you go to Azkaban for his crimes?" Kendra asked incredulously, staring at Sirius.

            He nodded.  "Most people don't believe what the Ministry tells them anymore, so I can basically travel about freely.  I'm still wanted, according to the Minister of Magic but . . . no one turns me in, so I guess I'm okay."  

Kendra studied him, then asked, "Are you going to be helping us?"

Lupin smiled at her.  "Sirius and I have spent some time looking up information on the connection you shared with the other students during your seventh year here.  We had hoped that we'd have some sort of . . . thesis regarding the powers you share when you're together, but so far we have nothing."

"Nothing?" Harry asked.  "A girl I spoke with said you'd done years of research."

Lupin nodded.  "I have, but I've come up with absolutely nothing.  The documents that contain any information regarding past occurrences of The Five have either been destroyed or lost.  Your story is all the information that I really have.  I've tried to find out why these five families were picked, but there's nothing that points toward a connection or . . . anything."

"I thought they were members of the five most powerful wizarding families of the time," Hermione said.

Lupin shook his head.  "Contrary to what Severus's lineage book may have stated the Malfoys and the Blacks were always the most powerful families."

Sirius smiled around a piece of bacon.  "That'd be me."

"I thought that their power might have had something to do with it, but I came up empty handed."  Lupin shrugged helplessly.  "I thought that if I could discover something it might help this time around but I have nothing.  I had hoped that once you were here I could interview each of you alone and get some more information."

Hermione nodded.  "I don't see why not."

"I'll do it," Harry said.

Kendra shrugged.  "Why not?"

Lupin smiled and nodded.  "Good, this is all very good.  I can conduct interviews, speak with Severus about the battles and find out exactly what went on six years ago."

"Then what?" Kendra asked.  "Then we . . . fight?  Again?"

Harry smirked.  "Getting a little tedious, isn't it?"

"You have Sirius to help out this time," Lupin pointed out.

"Yeah, you have me," Sirius said.  "I am a great warrior, trained to fight smart and become completely emotionless in the heat of battle.  Plus, I pack a mean insult when someone really pisses me off."  Sirius paused long enough to wolf down a piece of Harry's half eaten toast, then cracked his knuckles and smiled broadly.  "So . . . when do we leave?"   

More Notes:  I do realize how OOC Harry is if you look at him post OotP, but I decided to keep him IC with how I started writing him.  It feels weird, but keep in mind this is now officially AU.  Not that it wasn't before but … you know what I mean. :D 


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